TRADITIONAL HEALER DENIES DEFILING MINOR IN THE BUSH
A 21-year-old Traditional Healer of Mooyo Village in Munyumbwe has pleaded not guilty to defiling a 15-year-old-girl, after he allegedly started a relationship with her facilitated by her elder sister.
In the same matter, the juvenile’s 28-year-old elder sister stands charged with procuring a child for defilement, by threats and intimidation, to which she also pleaded not guilty.
The Traditional Healer, Last Hazele is alleged to have defiled the juvenile in Gwembe, between the 1st and the 23rd of September, 2022.
Meanwhile, the victim’s sister, who is a farmer by profession, is alleged to have procured the 15-year-old for defilement, within the same period of time.
The victim tells the court that she went to watch a performance with her friends, when she came across her elder sister who called her and introduced her to Hazele.
She says her sister told her that Hazele was in love with her and encouraged her to accept his proposal, an instruction she followed and thus they became lovers.
The 15-year-old says Hazele visited her two weeks later, with her sister giving them space to be alone, which led to him having carnal knowledge of her in a bush.
She says Hazele repeated the same thing a week later, and later took her to his home, where her elder brothers came to collect her and took the accused to the police.
Magistrate Michael Mulalelo adjourned the matter to the 7th of February, 2023 for continued trial.